Clamp



K. J. TOBIN.

CLAMP. APPLICATION min qcr 1. 192x Patented Mar. 14, 1922.

KenneZJ ZOZN and A UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.A

KENNETH J. 'I'OBIN7 OF CHICAGO, ILLINOISQASSIGNOR OF ONE-THIRD TO ELMER'P. RENSTBOM AND ONE-THIRD TO WILLIAM G. SALKELD, 0F CHICAGO, ILLINOIS.

CLAMP. j

Specification of Letters Patent.

Iatented Mar. 14, 1922.

Application lled October 7, 1921. Serial No. 505,984.

To all 'wwm t may concern VBe it known that I, KENNETH J. Tonini, acitizen of the United States, residing at Chicago, in the county of Cookand State of Illinois, have invented certain. new and usefulImprovements in Clamps, of which the following is a full, clear, andexact speciication.

This invention relatesto rope or cord clamps and is directedtoimprovements in clamps employing apivoted tension member andintendedfor use with the smaller sizes of ropes such as clothes linesalthough not limited thereto.

The objects of the invention are to provide a clamp of simple andeconomical'construction in whichthe rope or cord will be -held by itsown tension in suchv a manner thatfslippage -is impossible and withoutrisk of cutting the rope when the tension on it is high,`while also,preventing release of the rope should it become slack.

These objects are attained by the novel combination of elements heredisclosed by which is produced' a clamp consisting of a pivoted tensionlever and base plate provided with means, such as a stop on the clampingarm of the lever, preventing absolute VContact of the arm with the platein order to avoid possibility of cutting the rope being held, and alsowith means, such as lugs on the base plate on each side of the clampingarm, for retaining the end of the rope beneath the arm when the clampingtension is removed and for forming a restricted space in conjunctionwith said stop and arm into which the rope is wedged when clamped.

These and other minor objects are attained by the construction andarrangement of parts, or equivalents thereof, set forth in the followingspecification and claimed.

Referring to the drawings;

Fig. l is a perspective view of the clamp holding a rope end.

Fig. 2 is a plan view of the clamp showing .an intermediate part of arope engaged therein.

Fig. 3 is a plan view of the base plate. Fig. 4; is a side view of thetension lever,

Fig. 5 is a longitudinal sectional view showing the tension lever inposition on the base plate. l

The clamp embodying my invention comprises a base plate 10 formed with acentral slot 11 extending into the plate from its upper edge and withpivot ears 12 on each side of the slot and near the upper edge ottheplate. A .tension member or lever 13 is pivoted between its ends on theears 12 by means of lateral studs or trunnions 1-1 which are received inbearing recesses formed by under-cutting the pivot ears. Thisconstruction of plate and lever permits the two .to be readily assembledbut prevents removal of the tension lever after the plate has beenmounted on a support. v

The tension member 13 has oppositely projecting aligned arms one ofwhich constitutes a tension arm projecting.substantially its wholelength beyond the plate and being hooked or curved in a vertical planeso that its lower edge is arched or eoncaved through its length, as at 15, to receive andjretain a rope. The other or clamping arm of the memberor lever 13 extends over the plate and is formed with a thickenedportion or projection V1o positioned to come in contact with. the plate10 Aat the base of the slot 11 and with a substantially straightclamping edge 17 spaced above the contacting edgel of projection 16' adistance substantially half the thickness of the rope with which theclamp is designed to work. The end of the clamping arm is beveled orupturned as at 18 to facilitate insertion of the rope. In order toprevent dropping of the rope end from beneath the clamping arm, lugs 19are formed on plate 10 on each side of the clamping arm and adjacentthereto. These lugs are inclined or rounded at the top to cooperate withthe beveled end 18 of the clamping arm in directing the rope beneath theclamping edge of the arm and spaced from projection 16 substantially thesame distance as the clamping edge is above the plate, that is, adistance about equal to half the diameter or thickness of the rope to beheld and have straight inner edges 20 so that a square walled space ofless area than the diameter of they rope is left between the projection16, lugs 19, and the clamping arm and plate when the clamp is closed,and 1n this space the rope is securely wedged without danger of beingcut. f

When using the clamp to hold the end of a rope, the end is passed abovethe lugs 19 and beneath the clamping arm then around under the tensionarm where it engages 1n and'is retained in the concaved edge 15, as

tension given the rope causesthe clampingarm of the lever to crowdor'wedge-the rope in the space between projectionk 16 and the edges 20of the lugs where it is securely held as long as the rope is undertension. Should the rope bev temporarily slackened, the lugs 19 willprevent the end of the rope from falling out from beneath the clampingarm. The rope can not besevered by eX- cessive pressure of the clampingarm as the Yprojection 16 prevents actual contactof,

thel clamping edge with the plate.

I claimas my invention,

1. A clamp comprising a base plate and a rocking member pivoted near.one edge of the plate, said member having opposite arms one of whichhas its lower edge of arcuate form and constitutes a tension arm, the

other with a substantially straight clamping edgegpresented towards theplate, and means for.limitingthe'lnovement of said last mentioned armtowardstheplate.

2. A clamp comprising a base plate and a rocking member pivoted thereon,said memitsolower 'edge of arcuate form and consti'- tutes a-tenslonarm, the other being formed Y ywith a clampingedge presented towards theplate, a. projection on the arm adapted to engage the plate and limitthe approach of` saidY arm', and cord retaining lugs formed on theplateadjacent said last mentioned .arm and spaced from said projection,

3. clamp vcomprising a base, a clamping 40 member pivoted thereon, meansfor actuatingk the clamping memberV by `the Atension of theengaged'rope, and projectingelements on the base and the clamping membercooperating when the clamp is closed to form a-restricted space of lessdiameter than the eordto be held into which the cord is crowded whenclamped.

4. A clamp comprising a'V base plate, a .rocking member pivoted thereonand formed with a clamping Y arm extending over the plate, said armhaving a projectionrnear the pivot ofthe rocking member adapted toengagethe plate and limit approach ofthe arm thereto, aprojection on,thelplate at each side of the clamping'arm and-spaced from saidprojection on the arm, the-facing edges of said projectionson thearm-andplate, together with the arm and plate, cir cumscribilri'g a space whenthe clamp is closed of less area than the diameter of the c ordto beheld and .into which the cord is wedged when clamped, and means foractuating the Y clamp by tension of theengaged cord.

5. .A clamp comprising` a. base; plate and a rocking member pivotedvthereon, said member having a" clamping arm. extendingl over'the plate,Yand a cord retaining flug formed'A on thc-j; plate adjacenteachside oftuating the clamp by tension of the engaged cord. p Y ,Y p VIn testimonywhereof I ax my signature.

'KENNETH J. ronny. t,

